Assignment 4.3: Collaborative Unit Plan or Library Programming Project – Partner Project
Partners: Amy Stafford and Cindi Wynia
Librarians Amy Stafford and Cindi Wynia will implement a 4-part program focusing on Arthurian Legends and life in the Middle Ages. This program series will be geared toward children in Kindergarten to 2nd grade and their parents. Participants are encouraged, although not required, to attend any or all programs dressed in clothing representative of the Middle Ages. Using the previously developed Resource list, we have created a program series that highlights both the legend of King Arthur and the history of the Middle Ages. Children will learn the difference between legend and history, fact and fiction, they will learn the story of how Arthur became king with the help of Merlin, and they will learn what it was like to be both a peasant and a nobleman during the Middle Ages. The program will feature a special storytime, a puppet show, rhymes and songs of the time period, crafts and science-based activities, films and and an audiobook about the Arthurian Legends, and finally a Medieval-style celebration complete with artisans of the time period, food, and games.
We will market the program by using flyers placed in the library at various reference and check-out points as well as in the non-fiction sections relating to both Arthurian Legends and the Middle Ages. We will distribute flyers in local schools, daycares, and local homeschool groups. The program series will be featured on the main page of the library website, and will be posted on the library's blog, Facebook page, and Twitter account. Each day during the month of the program series, we will post on the Facebook page and Twitter accounts trivia relating to Arthurian Legends and the Middle Ages in order to keep the public aware and involved in the program. We will also conduct outreach to local schools to promote both the library and the upcoming program series.
The bulk of the cost for the program will be put toward craft supplies, paper for both flyers and surveys, and food for the final event. We hope to utilize volunteers and local community groups and organizations to help in implementing the final Feast and Faire at Camelot program. Although local artisans will not be able to sell merchandise during the final program, they will be able to provide business cards and show product samples as extensions to what the children have learned during the first three parts of the series. A temporary food handlers permit will be acquired through the City Health Department so that food may be served during the Feast and Faire at Camelot.
Surveys will be conducted after each program, and a final survey will be provided to help evaluate the success of the overall program series. We will keep track of attendance numbers and will also track circulation statistics of any materials relating to Arthurian Legends, the Middle Ages, and related topics. We will also track circulation statistics on items in Dewey classifications 398.2 and 940.1 checked out for the 6 weeks following the final program.
King Arthur and Life in the Middle Ages - Collaborative Program Plan
June 7
Legends of King Arthur
Part 1 of the program will kick-off with a special King Arthur storytime. The storytime performances will feature the retellings of stories by Robert D. San Souci, children's rhymes and songs from the time period (ex: "Ring Around the Rosies", "London Bridge"), and a puppet show about young Arthur, Merlin, and his discovery of the sword Excalibur.
Supplies: Robert D. San Souci books for display, puppet stage, puppets, handouts with rhymes and songs
Resources: Young Arthur, Young Merlin, Young Guinevere, and Young Lancelot by Robert D. San Souci; King Arthur: The History, the Legend, the King website
For the Parents: Provide parents with handouts that contain a list of Robert D. San Souci's books as well as a list of other
age-appropriate books. Parents will also be given a short survey to evaluate the success of the program. The survey will be available in paper format or as an online survey via a link provided in email. Library staff will conduct informal surveys of random children in order to determine the children's overall interest in the program and topic.
June 14
King Arthur: Truth Behind the Legend
Part 2 of the program will feature excerpts from the DVDs Quest for King Arthur and Ancient Mysteries: Camelot. This part of the program will focus on the existence of King Arthur and on life during the Middle Ages. Children will learn about how lords and ladies ate as compared to common folk, they will learn about the artisans of the time period, and they will learn about medieval social classes in terms that they will understand and that can be related to their prior knowledge of modern society. We will engage the children with questions about King Arthur; talk about the differences between fact and fiction, legend and history; and sing the rhymes and songs introduced in Part 1 of the program.
Supplies: Projector, DVDs, handouts with rhymes and songs For the Parents: Provide parents with handouts that contain a list of non-fiction titles about the Middle Ages/Medieval Times and age-appropriate movies that relate to either King Arthur or the Middle Ages. Parents will also be given a short survey to evaluate the success of the program. The survey will be available in paper format or as an online survey via a link provided in email. Library staff will conduct informal surveys of random children in order to determine the children's overall interest in the program and topic.
June 21
Medieval Crafts Day
In Part 3 of the program, the children will make Medieval-themed crafts, such as crowns, swords, and their own shields decorated with a coat of arms of their own design. Children will also learn how to build a catapult and create Merlin's "potion" using materials likely found at home. Before beginning the crafts,we will introduce the children to the Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne. We will talk about the connection between the series and Arthurian Legend, then we will play the audiobook of Christmas in Camelot while we engage in craft time.
Supplies: construction paper, cardstock, cardboard (pre-cut in shield shape with cardboard handles), markers, stickers, glitter, tempera or acrylic paint, foam brushes, Popsicle sticks, rubber bands, spoons, marshmallows, plates and cups (for paints), Styrofoam bowls, milk, food coloring, dishsoap, and toothpicks (for Merlin's potion)
Resources: Christmas in Camelot audiobook by Mary Pope Osborne For the Parents: Parents will be given a short survey to evaluate the success of the program. The survey will be available in paper format or as an online survey via a link provided in email. Library staff will conduct informal surveys of random children in order to determine the children's overall interest in the program and topic.
June 28
Feast and Faire at Camelot Part 4 will end the program series with a medieval-style faire at the library. Although the previous parts of the series focused solely on children in grades K-2, the Medieval Faire will be welcome to all ages in order to encourage a larger interest in the topic, stimulate community dialogue, and establish the library as a center for community education, growth, and fellowship. Local residents and participants of the Renaissance Faire will be invited to set up tables/booths. We will contact artisans such as a local blacksmith, a woodcarver, a weaver, a candle and/or soap maker, and a potter. We will seek out the help of a local theater to group to provide two men and a woman to play the roles of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and Merlin so that children and families may interact with the characters of the legends and even have their pictures taken with them.There will also be stations with games that were played in the Middle Ages, such as hopscotch, marbles, Barley Break, ring toss, horseshoes, Tic Tac Toe, and Skittles (10-pin bowling). Supplies: Tables, chairs, food, drinks, temporary food handlers permit.Resources:Young Arthur, Young Merlin, Young Guinevere, and Young Lancelot by Robert D. San Souci; King Arthur: The History, the Legend, the King websiteFor the Parents: A final survey will be given to participating families and made available online and through email. This survey will contain questions that seek to evaluate both the final program and the overall program series. The survey will also contain a comments section for families to provide comments, specific feedback, suggestions, and criticism.
Assignment 4.3: Collaborative Unit Plan or Library Programming Project – Partner Project
Partners: Amy Stafford and Cindi WyniaLibrarians Amy Stafford and Cindi Wynia will implement a 4-part program focusing on Arthurian Legends and life in the Middle Ages. This program series will be geared toward children in Kindergarten to 2nd grade and their parents. Participants are encouraged, although not required, to attend any or all programs dressed in clothing representative of the Middle Ages. Using the previously developed Resource list, we have created a program series that highlights both the legend of King Arthur and the history of the Middle Ages. Children will learn the difference between legend and history, fact and fiction, they will learn the story of how Arthur became king with the help of Merlin, and they will learn what it was like to be both a peasant and a nobleman during the Middle Ages. The program will feature a special storytime, a puppet show, rhymes and songs of the time period, crafts and science-based activities, films and and an audiobook about the Arthurian Legends, and finally a Medieval-style celebration complete with artisans of the time period, food, and games.
We will market the program by using flyers placed in the library at various reference and check-out points as well as in the non-fiction sections relating to both Arthurian Legends and the Middle Ages. We will distribute flyers in local schools, daycares, and local homeschool groups. The program series will be featured on the main page of the library website, and will be posted on the library's blog, Facebook page, and Twitter account. Each day during the month of the program series, we will post on the Facebook page and Twitter accounts trivia relating to Arthurian Legends and the Middle Ages in order to keep the public aware and involved in the program. We will also conduct outreach to local schools to promote both the library and the upcoming program series.
The bulk of the cost for the program will be put toward craft supplies, paper for both flyers and surveys, and food for the final event. We hope to utilize volunteers and local community groups and organizations to help in implementing the final Feast and Faire at Camelot program. Although local artisans will not be able to sell merchandise during the final program, they will be able to provide business cards and show product samples as extensions to what the children have learned during the first three parts of the series. A temporary food handlers permit will be acquired through the City Health Department so that food may be served during the Feast and Faire at Camelot.
Surveys will be conducted after each program, and a final survey will be provided to help evaluate the success of the overall program series. We will keep track of attendance numbers and will also track circulation statistics of any materials relating to Arthurian Legends, the Middle Ages, and related topics. We will also track circulation statistics on items in Dewey classifications 398.2 and 940.1 checked out for the 6 weeks following the final program.
King Arthur and Life in the Middle Ages - Collaborative Program Plan
Part 1 of the program will kick-off with a special King Arthur storytime. The storytime performances will feature the retellings of stories by Robert D. San Souci, children's rhymes and songs from the time period (ex: "Ring Around the Rosies", "London Bridge"), and a puppet show about young Arthur, Merlin, and his discovery of the sword Excalibur.
Supplies: Robert D. San Souci books for display, puppet stage, puppets, handouts with rhymes and songs
Resources: Young Arthur, Young Merlin, Young Guinevere, and Young Lancelot by Robert D. San Souci; King Arthur: The History, the Legend, the King website
For the Parents: Provide parents with handouts that contain a list of Robert D. San Souci's books as well as a list of other
age-appropriate books. Parents will also be given a short survey to evaluate the success of the program. The survey will be available in paper format or as an online survey via a link provided in email. Library staff will conduct informal surveys of random children in order to determine the children's overall interest in the program and topic.
Part 2 of the program will feature excerpts from the DVDs Quest for King Arthur and Ancient Mysteries: Camelot. This part of the program will focus on the existence of King Arthur and on life during the Middle Ages. Children will learn about how lords and ladies ate as compared to common folk, they will learn about the artisans of the time period, and they will learn about medieval social classes in terms that they will understand and that can be related to their prior knowledge of modern society. We will engage the children with questions about King Arthur; talk about the differences between fact and fiction, legend and history; and sing the rhymes and songs introduced in Part 1 of the program.
Supplies: Projector, DVDs, handouts with rhymes and songs
For the Parents: Provide parents with handouts that contain a list of non-fiction titles about the Middle Ages/Medieval Times and age-appropriate movies that relate to either King Arthur or the Middle Ages. Parents will also be given a short survey to evaluate the success of the program. The survey will be available in paper format or as an online survey via a link provided in email. Library staff will conduct informal surveys of random children in order to determine the children's overall interest in the program and topic.
In Part 3 of the program, the children will make Medieval-themed crafts, such as crowns, swords, and their own shields decorated with a coat of arms of their own design. Children will also learn how to build a catapult and create Merlin's "potion" using materials likely found at home. Before beginning the crafts,we will introduce the children to the Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne. We will talk about the connection between the series and Arthurian Legend, then we will play the audiobook of Christmas in Camelot while we engage in craft time.
Supplies: construction paper, cardstock, cardboard (pre-cut in shield shape with cardboard handles), markers, stickers, glitter, tempera or acrylic paint, foam brushes, Popsicle sticks, rubber bands, spoons, marshmallows, plates and cups (for paints), Styrofoam bowls, milk, food coloring, dishsoap, and toothpicks (for Merlin's potion)
Resources: Christmas in Camelot audiobook by Mary Pope Osborne
For the Parents: Parents will be given a short survey to evaluate the success of the program. The survey will be available in paper format or as an online survey via a link provided in email. Library staff will conduct informal surveys of random children in order to determine the children's overall interest in the program and topic.
Part 4 will end the program series with a medieval-style faire at the library. Although the previous parts of the series focused solely on children in grades K-2, the Medieval Faire will be welcome to all ages in order to encourage a larger interest in the topic, stimulate community dialogue, and establish the library as a center for community education, growth, and fellowship. Local residents and participants of the Renaissance Faire will be invited to set up tables/booths. We will contact artisans such as a local blacksmith, a woodcarver, a weaver, a candle and/or soap maker, and a potter. We will seek out the help of a local theater to group to provide two men and a woman to play the roles of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and Merlin so that children and families may interact with the characters of the legends and even have their pictures taken with them.There will also be stations with games that were played in the Middle Ages, such as hopscotch, marbles, Barley Break, ring toss, horseshoes, Tic Tac Toe, and Skittles (10-pin bowling).
Supplies: Tables, chairs, food, drinks, temporary food handlers permit.Resources: Young Arthur, Young Merlin, Young Guinevere, and Young Lancelot by Robert D. San Souci; King Arthur: The History, the Legend, the King websiteFor the Parents: A final survey will be given to participating families and made available online and through email. This survey will contain questions that seek to evaluate both the final program and the overall program series. The survey will also contain a comments section for families to provide comments, specific feedback, suggestions, and criticism.
Programming Assessment Tools
Print survey:
Online Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/65TZ5ZF
Publicity Plan
http://wynia-storytelling.wikispaces.com/Arthurian+Legend+Publicity+PlanResource Development Collaboration/Communication Page:
http://telleroftales.wikispaces.com/Resource+Development+Collaboration